This study explores the use of music during wartime and how it can be used within contemporary dance performance. Writing about the history of music used in the Second World War by using qualitative methods, and ethnographic discoveries; I will show my research findings through both written and practice-based methods. Embedding the literature review throughout this dissertation, will demonstrate my ability to recognise relevant information and summarise existing knowledge of my topic by providing an understanding of previous resources/works. Exploring historical documents such as Wynford Reynolds’ report Music While You Work: First Report for Period 5th May to 30th November 1941 (1941) and video footage of live performances to create choreography for my dance piece Sounds of Metal and Music (2022) (see Appendix A). Introducing a new approach for myself as the researcher, as to how I can explore the way history can be presented to an audience. Bridging the gap between historic events and contemporary dance, I explored the use of historic findings integrating them into a performance. In relation to this thesis, I discovered the relations of music and the people working within the factories could be introduced to an audience through the method of dance. Portraying the ethnographic effects music had on individuals working through the war; and identifying the increase of productivity of the output from the factories due to this new broadcast of music.
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